Could Lagares become an every-day player?

Juan Lagares has been a surprise for the Mets in 2013. The 24 year old rookie outfielder has showed above average defense out in center-field, but his bat has been lacking. In 80 games with the Mets, Lagares has hit .255 with 4 home runs, 25 RBI, and a .286 on-base percentage. 

Hitting coach Dave Hudgens met with Lagares before Thursday's game against the Padres, and told him "don't let any offensive funk affect your fielding." Lagares is hitless in his last 13 at-bats.

Terry Collins further explained to reporters what Hudgens told Lagares, saying "Hitting is hard, and you're going to have ups and downs. But that catch he made in center field tonight, that's what he want him to do on a nightly basis. He may not have driven in any runs, but he saved two."

I've really enjoyed seeing Lagares play in 2013. His defense is, no question, the best in the outfield, but the Mets will eventually need to make a decision with him, given his offensive struggles. It really seems like the league has figured him out, meaning that they know where to pitch him. Lagares will need to adjust if he wants to get those offensive numbers back up.

I actually agree with what Terry Collins and Dave Hudgens have said. Lagares has been doing just fine as a whole, and his offensive slump shouldn't influence his defensive game at all. 

If Sandy Alderson fully commits to Lagares, then he will certainly need to acquire two solid-hitting corner outfielders to compensate for Lagares' offense, or lack thereof. Those players are out there but at this point the two questions are: Will Sandy give Lagares the long-term nod at centerfield? And who will he chase after in the winter? Those questions will need to be addressed very soon. 

Allan Dykstra is making some noise Binghamton

In 2011, the Mets traded away a pitching prospect named Eddie Kunz to the San Diego Padres. Kunz was drafted in the first round of the 2007 draft by the Mets, and was expected to be "the closer of the future" in Queens. However, he really struggled in the minor leagues, and the Mets were happy to get SOMETHING for him when they dealt him away. They ended up receiving a first baseman by the name of Allan Dykstra. 

Dykstra, was a first round pick by the Padres in the 2008 draft. After putting up a few so-so seasons with the Padres' minor league affiliates, he was traded to the Mets. In his first full season with the Mets, he hit .269 with a .389 on-base percentage and smashed 19 homers with 77 RBI. That opened some eyes in the organization, and in 2013, Dykstra has raised his stock even more. He has hit .285 with 18 home runs and 70 RBI in Double-A. He also has an incredible .452 on-base percentage.

Walks are a huge part of Dykstra's game. He has a career .404 on-base percentage, and that has certainly grabbed the attention of Sandy Alderson, who pays close attention to the OBP statistic. Dykstra is primarily a first baseman, and may not have the power to be a successful everyday player in the majors. However, his minor league stats have indicated that he could be a solid bench player.

At 26 years of age, Dykstra's ship is ready to sail. As a first round pick, he hasn't exactly lived up to expectations throughout his entire career, but in 2013 he has certainly made a name for himself. I love the fact that he is a base-on-balls machine. Also, as a first baseman, he gives Terry Collins yet another toy to play with and try out at that position.

I expect to see Dykstra with the Mets in September. He really deserves an opportunity to prove himself with the varsity squad. I understand that he would be skipping Triple-A, but as I mentioned before, at 26 years old, it is make or break time for Dykstra. 

Early thoughts on Wilmer Flores

Wilmer Flores has been in the Major Leagues for a little over a week now, and he is already beginning to make a name for himself. Despite the current .259 batting average, Flores has been money with runners in scoring position. In 7 games, he already has 9 RBI, and seems to deliver whenever he is called upon. Defensively he has been no David Wright, but average nonetheless. Considering that he has been constantly flipped around in the field throughout his career, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt for now. 

I know it is a small sample size, but Flores already looks like he could be a solid Major League hitter. His smooth swing has drawn comparisons to Jason Bay in his prime. One thing about Flores is that, once he steps in the batters box, you know that he has a good idea of what he is doing. He is very mature at the plate for a 22 year old.

Now, I'll get into Flores' long-term future with this team very shortly, but first I want to talk about what he will be doing for the rest of this season. Flores, a third baseman by trade, is only playing the hot corner right now because David Wright is on the disabled list. Wright may be out for the season with his injury, but is is not guaranteed. If he manages to return off of the disabled list sooner than expected, then the Mets have a decision to make with Flores. 

What position will he play?

Flores has had minor league experience at first and second base. Personally, I believe the team should stick him at first base if they truly believe he is part of the long-term solution. I say that because Flores may be involved in trade talks this winter, because he is one of the Mets' highest trading chips. If the team continues to stick to Ike Davis at first base, then Flores may be looking at the second base job. 

I like Daniel Murphy, I really do. In my mind, he is underrated offensively, and defensively he has come a long way. I don't think the Mets should just simply hand over the job to Flores, but if Murphy struggles with the bat or shows any sign of fatigue in the final weeks of the season, I'd give Flores a shot. If Flores succeeds, then he has the opportunity to run away with the job.

The whole Flores situation is a tricky one, because no-one knows if he will even be with the Mets next season. He will certainly be talked about in trade dialogue involving the Mets and other teams, and I have a feeling the Mets will eventually move him in a package for a big-name outfielder. These final weeks of the season are meant to showcase Flores' talent at the Major League level, and if he finds success, the Mets could really cash in on his value. 

Parnell lands on the DL, what should the Mets do?

The Mets have placed Bobby Parnell on the 15 day disabled list with a herniated disk in his neck. Parnell has not thrown since last Tuesday after complaining about the neck pain. His stint on the disabled list is retroactive to July 31, so he will be eligible to return on August 15.

 

Losing Parnell is a big blow to an already weak bullpen. He has really turned into a solid closer this season, posting a 2.16 ERA with 22 saves in 49 appearances. I've been a big fan of Parnell ever since day one, and seeing him develop into a solid relief pitcher before our very own eyes has been very pleasing. Hopefully this injury does not require surgery, because Terry Collins said surgery is "possible" but not definite.

 

Now Terry Collins loses a big weapon out of the bullpen. He has been using David Aardsma as the team's ninth inning guy for the last few games, but he has not pitched well at all. Aardsma, however, has a track record of success in the role, so at this point he may be the best option.

Normally I'd suggest having Josh Edgin as the team's interim closer, but he himself is also on the disabled list with an unexpected hairline fracture injury on his ribcage. Edgin was lights out for the Mets over the last month. In July, he had a combined 0.73 ERA in 14 appearances.

 

Now, the Mets have to make a big decision. Do you use Aardsma? A veteran who has had a track record of success but has not had that same success in 2013. Or perhaps someone like Jeff Walters? A 25 year old relief pitcher who is currently sporting a 1.89 ERA in 44 Double-A appearances this season. Walters' 32 saves are extremely impressive, and his 9.4 K/9 shows that he could be a solid member of the bullpen very soon.

 

Personally, I'd like to see Walters soon. This team needs a new look, and Walters could provide that spark of energy that the Mets have been seeking. At 25 years old, it is beginning to become that time where teams make final decisions on their pitchers, and Walters has done everything right in 2013 to help his case for a big league promotion.

 

 

 

Valdespin and Puello suspended for connection to Biogenesis

On Monday, Major League Baseball announced that suspensions of a handful of players around the game for their involvement in the Biogenesis clinic. Two of these players are from the Mets organization: Jordany Valdespin and Cesar Puello. Both players have accepted their 50 game suspensions, and will miss the rest of the season. Also, the two were on the 40 man roster, but while serving their suspensions, they will not count towards the 40 man roster.

 

Puello's name has been linked to the Biogenesis investigation for a couple of months now, so a suspension for him was expected. Puello, 22, was named to the Double-A All-Star team in 2013. The outfielder hit .328 with 16 home runs and 73 RBI this season for the Binghamton Mets.

 

Valdespin was never named as an involved player in the investigation, so this comes with much surprise. The team optioned him to Triple-A Las Vegas on July 13. Before his demotion, he was hitting .188 with 4 home runs and 16 RBI in 144 plate appearances. Oddly enough, he begin to hit extremely well in Triple-A. He had a line of .466/.533/.759 during his brief stint with the 51s.

 

I'll start off with the easy part here. It was expected that Cesar Puello would have a season-ending suspension. We all knew about his involvement with the Biogenesis scandal, so we weren't particularly surprised to see this happen.

 

Puello, had he not had been suspended, would've likely gotten a look with the major league team during the September call-ups. He had an unbelievable season in Double-A, and is still young enough to have a good future role with this club. Despite his involvement, I am still very excited to see what he can provide for the team somewhere down the line. At this point, he'll likely make his Major League debut sometime in 2014.

 

As for Valdespin, there really isn't anything much to say but Wow. At first, I had sympathy for the guy because he would rot on the bench while Terry Collins played veterans who were worthless. Now, I understand why the organization was so tough on Valdespin. His attitude is certainly one of a kind, and is what is holding him back in his career.

Valdespin has all the talent in the world, but he was given time to mature and it just never happened. This incident now seems like icing on the cake for the 25 year old outfielder.

 

I don't care if he comes back next year and hits .500 in Triple-A, I do not want him back on the Mets. He could either get his act together in the minor leagues, and get packaged off in a trade, or released. The Mets should not have to deal with this immature loser, and I truly believe that eventually he'll get the fate he deserves. 

Mets promote Wilmer Flores

The Mets have promoted top hitting prospect Wilmer Flores. He is en route to New York, which was announced by the team on Twitter last night. Flores, whose 22nd birthday is today, played primarily first base and third base for the Las Vegas 51s this season. He has hit .321 with 15 homers and 86 RBI on the season. It is assumed that Flores will be spending most of his time as the team's third baseman as David Wright is currently on the 15 day disabled list.

 

The team originally signed Flores out of Venezuela as a 16 year old back in 2007. He was a highly touted player in the organization for quite some time, and was rated in the Top 100 prospects list by Baseball America in the 2009-2011 seasons. As an 18 year old, Flores was elected to start at second base in the 2009 All-Star Futures Game.  In 2011, he was converted from a shortstop to a third baseman.

 

I've been preaching Flores for quite some time now, and I'm ecstatic that he will finally be promoted to the majors. It was getting ridiculous for quite some time, considering that Flores is versatile and capable of playing first base. With Ike Davis' struggles, Flores would be a good upgrade, even if his defense isn't as solid as Ike's.

 

For the time being, Flores will man the hot corner, and fill in for David Wright. I'm excited to see how he looks at the plate, because judging by his minor league numbers, he has the potential to be a very solid hitter. Also, at 22 years old, there is a good chance we may see him with the Mets for a long time.

 

When Wright returns from the disabled list, the team will have a decision to make. I highly doubt they'll convert Flores back to a shortstop. Perhaps they could finally pull the plug on Ike Davis and send him to the minors for good, and stick Flores at first base.

 

All in all, seeing new faces is always a welcoming sight. Flores should provide a much-needed boost to this current lineup. I'm very interested to see how these coming weeks play out, because sooner or later the Mets will need to promote some of their other top prospects, such as Travis d'Arnaud and Rafael Montero.

Could the Mets make a run at Erick Aybar?

According to Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com, the Angels will sell off some of their players in the coming days, and have let other teams know that Erick Aybar is one of the players that can be had in a trade. Aybar, 29, has had a decent season in 2013, hitting .283 with a .310 on-base percentage in 81 games with the Halos. As a career .279 hitter, he is playing slightly above his norm. 

The Mets currently have a huge hole at shortstop. Omar Quintanilla has done a fine job serving as a stop-gap, but Ruben Tejada, who was once assumed to be the long-term replacement for Jose Reyes, has had a lost season. Before injuring himself in May, Tejada hit .209 in 50 games with the Mets, and also made 8 errors in 48 games at shortstop, which is good for a .966 fielding percentage. Tejada is fully healed from his injury, but the team optioned him to Triple-A over a month ago so he could work on his approach at the plate. He has indeed hit .337 in 24 games with the Las Vegas 51s, but fans are still unsure about his future with the club. 

Personally, I'm a big Tejada fan, but I would support a trade for a shortstop. Aybar isn't the best shortstop in the game, but he would present a huge upgrade over Quintanilla and Tejada. He could serve as a switch hitting leadoff hitter that the team has needed for quite some time. Granted, I like what Eric Young Jr. has done, but Aybar has more experience in this role. 

Normally, Aybar utilizes his speed and collects about 15 stolen bases on average per season. However, in 2013, he hasn't been running as much, which is evident by his 5 stolen bases this season. 

To answer the question that is directed in the title of this article, I believe the Mets should make a run at Aybar, but at the right price. Aybar is owed about $30 million through the 2016 season, so the Angels may need to give some cash to get a deal done.

Aybar's value is as low as it will likely ever get, and I am convinced that he has better years ahead of him. If the Mets could get away with giving a mid-level prospect or two for Aybar, I would certainly consider it.